About FI & Wine

Dream Big

It’s one thing to dream up outlandish goals in your head. I can now say, with absolute clarity, that it is another thing entirely to publicly lay bare all of your dreams for every stranger, coworker, family member and loved one to see. My blog FI & Wine takes dreaming big and goal setting to whole new levels.

In the interest of achieving my dreams, I will publicly share my goals and progress on a regular basis. This is a big deal because I am such an introvert. Out of hundreds of people over the years that participated in a leadership class I had recently, I was literally THE ONLY person to EVER score 100% for introversion. This blogging endeavor is truly insane. But, you know what they say. Go big, or go home. Although, as an introvert, going home isn’t exactly a threat!

In my post 7 Steps to Successful Goal Setting, I mention that telling friends and family about a goal is a great way to stay focused. Sharing makes that goal seem more real, which then adds the motivation and accountability that you need to follow through and reach success.

Failure is not an option

So what does it mean that I’m stripping it all down and sharing it all? With a topic that for most Americans is more intimate and difficult to discuss than their love lives, no less.

It means serious passion and commitment. I believe in this blog so strongly that I’m willing to bare myself as I have absolutely never been willing to do before. It means that I am so committed to this journey to FI that I’m going to risk judgement and ridicule, or even worse, failure.

Thankfully, failure to me isn’t an unsuccessful blog. It’s simply failure to start. Failure to never move forward, failure to never go after my dreams and grow as an individual.

Failure is five years from now, realizing that I’m still right where I am today.

Cue horror music.

I’m so afraid of never making any progress that starting this blog is literally the BIGGEST thing I can think to do. Turning my goals into a passion project ensures that I move forward to achieve my dreams. I’m now forced to clearly define my goals and research every aspect of what it will take to get there.

So, in a nutshell, this blog is about dreaming big and accomplishing my goals. If I can lay it all out there and write about my progress, and my setbacks, then you, the reader, can find confidence to dream big and find your own successes as well.

Financial Goals

This blog is about money. That topic that too many people are afraid to talk about. It’s about personal finance, discovering what money means to you, and learning how to control the money that enters your life.

I’m not starting with much. I’m a single mother that started with close to nothing. I had a heart that needed a long time to heal and a child that needed a lot of specialized attention. I built a career from the ground up and did everything necessary to ensure that my son had what he needed to succeed in life and school. I’ve done all of this while living in a high-cost area, with a time and energy sucking commute.

While this hasn’t been an easy journey to arrive where I am now, my past makes me appreciate the progress I have made so far. I can celebrate my wins and have the confidence to know that I am capable of whatever I set my mind to. I can appreciate the joy that I have in my life now, and strive to enjoy every new journey to come.

Financial Independence and Freedom

If it hasn’t been clear so far, my goal is Financial Independence, FI. I know how hard it is to bring in income while balancing life. I know how hard it is to sacrifice time with your children in order to cover expenses. It can feel suffocating to walk out the door sometimes and not come back for 12+ hours because you have a paycheck to earn. How frustrating it can be that every other person and task you’d rather be focused on is being ignored, because you have a commute and paycheck to earn. I don’t want this for myself anymore, and I don’t want it for anyone else when it is completely avoidable.

Whether you are in debt, earn minimum wage or make over $200k a year and live paycheck to paycheck, you can make big changes. You can see huge results in your finances, your relationships, your life and your level of fulfillment.

I will make progress. I can’t wait to see my readers make progress right along with me.

And that is worth breaking free of my comfort zone, exposing my inner dreams and dialogue, and pouring hours of my time and effort into the research and writing for this blog.

This blog is near and dear to me. I hope it can be the same for you.

Action Steps:

Answer the following questions:

1. Where are you, right now, financially?
2. Where would you like to be?
3. What would be different in your life if you only worked half the hours you do now?
4. What dreams have been on hold because you don’t have time for them?
5. How important is it to you to rediscover those dreams?
6. Are you ready to start making changes and setting goals to rediscover your dreams?

Were you surprised by any of your answers to the above questions? Did you rediscover any goals that you have set aside because life is just to busy? Do you want to go after your dreams?

Don’t forget to leave a comment below!